Folding table



0. M. OTTE.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, I919I 'LEQQJ'M, I Patented July 15, 1919.

t I o'rno M. OT'I'E, or JAMESTOWN, new Y0 FOLDING: TABLE.

' Specification of Letters Patent. Pa'tqnted July 15, 1919.

Application filed April 4, 1919. Serial No. 287,583.

useful Improvements in Folding Tables, of

which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The invention relates to folding tables, and is an improvement on the construction shown in my former application for Letters Patentfiled August 17, 1918, Serial No. 250,302, matured into Patent No. 1,300,861, dated April 15, 1919; and the improvement consists in providing a simple table top or tray suitable for hospital and similar uses with bent spring rod legs which are removably hinged to the under side of said top or tray by means of holding clips or hinging bracket pieces which are so shaped as to receive said spring legs into and out of hinging engagement for both the attachment and the removal of said legs, and for holding said legs in the folded position, the integral resilience of said legs providing the expanding holding force within said hinging andlatching clips or brackets; and the invention consists in the novel features here inafter set forth and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of the table in the set-up position showing the preferred form of table top or tray, and of the spring legs. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the front corner of the top showing the tubular end of the front roll with the round headed closure plug therein. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the under side of a corner of the folding table showing the simple form of the hinging or latching bracket, the spring leg being shown therein in the folded position, the set-up position being shown. in dotted outline with a portion of the leg broken away. Fig. is a perspective view of one of the spring legs. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the under side of one of the hinging brackets, showing the construction and arrangement of the same.

Like characters of reference refer to corresponding parts in the several views.

The numeral 10 designates the top or tray which is preferably made of sheet metal of sufiicient weight to hold the table top in form for support upon the legs which are attached thereto. Said top is also preferably made in thetray or guarded form to prevent articles slipping from the top of the same, particularly when used as a tray. This form of top also lends itselfto enameling, preferably with hard or vitreous coatings rendering the same hygienic.

The simple design of the top is shown having an upwardly extending guard rail 11 extending around three sides of the top, and a downwardly extending cylindrical roll 12 across the front edge of the same. The roll 12 has a round headed closure plug 13 in each end to finish the same.

The top 10 is preferably provided with four legs 14 which are bent in any desired design from the metallic rod, preferably of spring metal so that each leg 14 will of its own resistance spring into and out of a suitable holding clip or hinge bracket 15. The

legs 14 are preferably made in U-shape with opposite outwardly turned inner ends 16 so as to engage beneath said holding bracket 15.

In order to hold the leg 14 in hinging engagement with the under side of the table top 10, a folding clip or bracket 15 is provided having preferably the spaced end portions 17 which are attachable by means of spot welding to the under side of the sheet metal top 10. Each of the ends 17 havea raised portion 18 about midway across the end within which the outwardly turned ends of the legs 14 may be inserted. The two end portions 17 are connected lengthwise by the raised or bridging portion 19 which has the downwardly extending part 20 to bear against the under side of the sheet metal top 10 and so support the bridging connecting portion 19 preventing its being bent out of shape.

The supporting portion 20 of the raised connection 19 is shortened by the spaced 21 has oppositely facing inward engagements beneath which the spring legs 14" top 10 and the spring leg 14 may be compressed sufiiciently to insert through the openings 22 which are sufficient to, admit the out-turned ends 16 at each side, and that said legs will spring out into the up-turned or looped portions 18 thereby hinging and locking said legs in the folded position. In order to set up said legs, they are merely lifted, thereby springing the opposite sides 'of the resilient legs lnwardly and escaping from beneath the prick points, 23 at each 1 side so that they may be raised into the vertical position at right angles to the under side of the top 1.0, and of their ownresilience the arms of the leg 14 will spring out into the notched or outwardly bent parts 24, which are in line With and at right angles to the upwardly bent parts 18, thereby holding said leg position.

It is also obvious that all that is nor/essary to fold the leg 14 is to slightly oompress the same sufiicient to turn said leg out of the notches or outwardly bent holding portions 24 so that said legs may be turned downwardly springing beneath the locking prick points 23 which hold them in the folded position. It will be understood that the holding openings as hereinbefore de scribed in the clip 15 for the leg 14 are so spaced as to hold said legs at a spring tension in all positions in relation to said holding clips.

I claim as new:

1. In a folding table, a top, spring legs for said top having out-turned inner ends, a sheet metal. clip on the under side of said top having a raised central portion with spaced recesses near the ends thereof to receive said inner ends of said legs, the end portions of said clip each having spaced bowed parts at right angles to one another hinging said out-turned inner ends to the underside of said. top and to remov- 14 firmly in the set-up ably hold said spring legs in the set-up position.

2. In a folding'table, a top, spring legs for said top having out-turned inner ends, a sheet metal clip on the under side of said top having a raised central portion with spacedrecesses near the ends thereof to receive said inner ends of said legs, the end portions of said clip each having spaced bowed parts at right angles to one another to hinge said out-turned inner ends and to hold said legs in the set-up position, and oppositely inward engagements on the walls of said spaced recesses to releasably hold said spring legs in the folded position.

3. In a foldi table, a top, U-shaped spring rod legs or said top each having,

oppositely out-turned inner ends, a sheet metal hinging clip for each of said shaped spring legs having spaced openings therein shaped to receive said out-turned ends of said spring legs in hinging engagement when in the folded position, said hinging clip having notches 1n the outer sides of said spaced openings to receive the outer sides of said legs to hold the latter in the erected position, and prick points in the outer walls of said spaced openings to releasably hold said spring legs in the folded position.

4. In a folding table, a top, spring rod legs for said top each having out-turned inner ends, a sheet "metal hinging clip for said out-turned inner ends comprising a raised bridging central portion having spaced recesses therein to receive the inner ends of said spring rod legs therein under tension and attaching end portions shaped to hingedly receive said out-turned ends when attached to said table top,.said bridging portion of said clip extended down to said table top to support said clip in form, prick points or bosses on each of said end portions of said clip to releasably hold said spring legs in the folded position, and outwardly bent vertical end portions to hold said spring legs in the erected position substantially as specified. i I

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses, 

